Total dispute: the strikers have got a point

Both Lord Mandelson and Kenneth Clarke have claimed that the issue in the dispute over the Total contract at Lindsey is protectionism. And both insisted that we all benefit from the free market.

We do, but the central purpose of any market is to allow the most efficient workers and employers to win contracts on merit. By bringing in their own ready-made workforce, the sub-contractor has prevented local workers from being given the chance to compete on their merits.

All markets depend on "rules of the game" and it would be perfectly reasonable to stipulate that all contractors must advertise locally and judge all applicants on their objective fitness for the work in hand. Such a law would not be protectionist, but would rather ensure that the market rewarded ability and skill.